Dr Richard Muhlack
Senior Lecturer
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Dr Richard Muhlack has a PhD in Chemical Engineering and two decades of wine sector experience in various industry and research roles across process analysis and simulation, cleaner production and energy efficiency, renewable energy technology, waste treatment and environmental management.
In January 2014 Dr Muhlack transitioned from industry-based R&D (with the Hardy Wine Company across 1999-2008 and then AWRI from 2008-2014) to the University of Adelaide and now holds an academic position within the School of Agriculture Food and Wine, where he is working to pursue research and technical development projects in the following areas:
* Mathematical modelling of fermentation, extraction, adsorption processes during food and wine production
* Industrial Process Simulation and Optimisation
* NOLO (No and Low alcohol) beverage production
* Process efficiency and techno-economics
* Design of food and beverage process equipment
* Instrumentation and process automation
* Energy and Water Efficiency
* Wastewater Treatment and Cleaner Production
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2019 - ongoing Senior Lecturer - Fermentation / Process Engineering University of Adelaide 2014 - 2018 Lecturer - Fermentation / Process Engineering University of Adelaide 2010 - 2014 Riverina Node Manager The Australian Wine Research Institute 2008 - 2010 Process and Environmental Engineer The Australian Wine Research Institute 2005 - 2008 Process Improvement Engineer Hardy Wine Company 1999 - 2002 Production Systems Engineer BRL Hardy 1998 - 1999 Process Engineer Adelaide Brighton Cement 1998 - 1998 Vintage Vineyard Quality Assessor BRL Hardy -
Awards and Achievements
Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount 2017 Teaching Award Executive Dean of Sciences Awards for Excellence in Teaching The University of Adelaide Australia 1000 2008 Award DAFF Australian Agricultural Industries Young Innovators and Scientists Award Winner - Australia - 2004 Fellowship Roger Pysden Memorial Fellowship - Australia - -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2002 - 2005 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD (Chemical Engineering) 1996 - 1999 The University of Adelaide Australia BE (Chem) Hons
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Journals
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Books
Year Citation 2016 Howe, J., & Owens, R. (2016). Temporary Labour Migration in the Global Era: The Regulatory Challenges.
Scopus25 -
Book Chapters
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Conference Papers
Year Citation 2023 Smart, R., Battaglene, T., & Muhlack, R. (2023). Mitigation and adaptation strategies for a carbon neutral grape and wine sector. In P. Roca (Ed.), BIO Web of Conferences Vol. 56 (pp. 01021). Online: EDP Sciences.
DOI2011 O'Neill, B., Van Heeswijck, T., & Muhlack, R. (2011). Models for predicting wine fermentation kinetics. In Proceedings of CHEMECA 2011 (pp. 1-14). online: Engineers Australia. 2009 van Eyk, P., Muhlack, R., & Ashman, P. (2009). Gasification of grape marc in a circulating fluidised bed. In Proceedings of the Australian Combustion Symposium 2009 (pp. 175-178). CD: University of Queensland. 2004 Muhlack, R., Waters, E., O'Neill, B., Lim, A., & Colby, C. (2004). New insights into the adsorption of haze-forming proteins by bentonite during winemaking. In A. Adesina (Ed.), Sustainable Processes: Proceedings of the 32nd Australasian Chemical Engineering Conference 2004 (pp. CD-ROM 1-CD-ROM 6). CD-ROM: KBR. -
Report for External Bodies
Year Citation 2015 Kwong, C. W., & Muhlack, R. A. (2015). Improving vineyard water efficiency by addition of biochar derived from grape stalks and vineyard prunings (UA1404).
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2023 Co-Supervisor Remediation of taint arising from vineyard exposure to bushfire smoke Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Song Yan 2021 Principal Supervisor Mathematical modelling of red wine colour and polyphenols extraction and evolution to enhance winemaking efficiency Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Rachael Anne Tindal 2019 Co-Supervisor Understanding the Relative Sustainability of Harvesting Pruned Vineyard Biomass and the Effect on Carbon Sequestration and Disease Management Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Benjamin Pike 2018 Principal Supervisor Efficient Red Winemaking by Monitoring Extraction and Evolution of Colour and Polyphenols Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Judith Unterkofler -
Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2021 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Mitigating Taint in Wine Due to Vineyard Exposure to Bushfire Smoke Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Yiming Huo 2020 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Evaluating Winemaking Applications of Ultrafiltration Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Stephanie Angela 2018 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Use of Membrane Ultrafiltration for Wine Stabilisation and Clarification Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Yihe Sui 2016 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Alternative Technologies to Modify and Measure Red Wine Astringency and Quality Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Wenyu Kang 2015 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Developing process simulation models for red wine fermentation: Anthocyanin mass transfer and extraction Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Patrick Charles Setford
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Memberships
Date Role Membership Country 2016 - ongoing Member American Society of Enology and Viticulture United States 2015 - ongoing Member Winery Engineers Association Australia 2014 - ongoing Member Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology Australia
Connect With Me
External Profiles